PIONEER NATIVE COFFEE ADMINISTRATOR LAUNCHES A BOOK ON HIS LIFE JOURNEY AND THE COFFEE INDUSTRY IN PNG

The coffee industry in Papua New Guinea has held a long-standing history with its own struggles and achievements driven by genuine and dedicated people who contributed their time, effort, commitment and resources to bring it to what it is today.

One of such person is a man called the ‘Walking Encyclopaedia of Coffee’, or better known as ‘Papa bilong Kofi’. He is Ricky Moke Mitio. Originally from Moke village in the Okapa District of Eastern Highlands Province. Mitio is a testament of a resilient young man during the early colonial days who has seen both worlds of change and transformation from traditional cannibalism age before Papua New Guinea’s independence and post-independence.

Ricky’s autobiography book titled “Ovu ga hoe” (I will not go) was launched on Thursday, May 8th, 2025 at the Lamana Hotel in Port Moresby.

This significant event had all tables to the venue sold out and room filled to capacity with old friends, coffee acquaintances, government representatives, family and friends of Ricky past and present to witness the special occasion.

One may ask what the title of the autobiography (Ovu ga’hoe, I will not go) signifies and how it relates to lessons to be learnt today. In a fascinating story, the Book takes you back to when civilization was not in the picture. It tells how Ricky grew up in both worlds. The arrival of early Lutheran Missionaries who brought the Gospel of Peace, education and changes from the Stone Age to modern civilization. It is a very moving story of how the words of his mother, Mangkeo, “Ovu Ga hoe” (I will not go) impacted greatly on her family. Evan Mitio was posted to an area called Rihongka behind Henganofi District from Raipinka. Mama Mangkeo faced Mitio straight in the face and said “Ovu ga’hoe”. This stand switched Evan Mitio’s posting south which later became Okapa. Her stand had a lasting impact on Mitio and his siblings and their ability to stay connected to their land and heritage and witnessed all the changes civilization brought along their life journey in the early 1950s and 60s.

After completing formal education in Okapa Primary School then and Goroka High School in the early 1960s, Mitio attained Diploma in Tropical Agriculture in 1972 at the Vudal Agriculture College in East New Britain, and immediately commenced formal employment with the then PNG Coffee Marketing Board (PNGCMB). Much later after all formal employment ended Ricky in 2014, attained his MBA from the Divine Word University in Madang.

While working for the PNG-CMB in 1972, the Statutory body was under the leadership of Mr Lloyd Hurrell as Chairman, a retired military cross veteran, Kiap and coffee planter in Wau, Bulolo. I was just employed as the only Native Officer in 1972. Mr Hurrell was a hard faced and straight talker who cornered me at the old PNG Coffee Industry Board (PNGCIB) office in West Goroka. He looked me straight in my face to proclaim that “yes, your country will get independence sooner or later, and then you must stand up to manage your affairs.”

Ricky said he did not quite understand the veracity of that statement but much later in 1979 under Hurrell’s chairmanship, he was appointed the first Native Executive Officer to take over the colonial Executive Officer position from Australian Didiman veteran Mr Barry Beil. By then Copra Marketing Board already had a National General Manager. Mr Hurrell was a strong believer in development of local people to progress in business enterprises.

Ricky joined as a Coffee Inspector with the PNG-CMB in 1972, and rose throughout the ranks to the position of Chief Executive Officer in 1979.

There were doubts among white planters whether Ricky could manage the complex multi-million industry of diverse ethnic and cultural people involved.

By then the industry was structured as 30 percent plantation and Block sector and seventy percent smallholder village coffee growers.

Ricky said that during those early days, Australia instituted a Tariff Relieve Arrangement where Australian buyers of coffee (roaster soluble coffee manufacturers etc) were required to import 25% of requirements from PNG before they could qualify to buy coffee from other origins. He said this really helped guarantee a market for PNG coffee and helped to boost coffee production in PNG.

By 1975, Brazil the biggest coffee producing country’s coffee was destroyed by frost. Coffee prices rose through the roof. Mr Michael Wheeler, the current PNG Representative to the International Coffee Organization (ICO), was employed by DASF. He formulated the policy guidelines for setting up a Coffee Industry Fund (CIF). The Board imposed 0.15toea/kg export levy on all green bean coffee exports from PNG. The CIF accumulated to K30 million by 1987.

The three export commodities held a meeting with the Governor of BPNG on how to sustain the value of Kina. We negotiated for a low exchange rate for the Kina to US dollar so that maximum foreign exchange earnings could flow into PNG. In return, for PNG Coffee Industry Board, we were required to hold 60% of the total CIF in Treasury Bills at competitive rates while the balance was distributed at competitive rates among commercial banks.

Coffee was bringing in K300 – 500 million per annum based on 750,000 bags exports in foreign exchange revenue to PNG. The overall aim was to strengthen the value of the Kina against the US dollar. It goes to demonstrate how coffee played its part in building the economy of PNG after independence. After Sir Michael Somare declared independence for PNG in 1974, the new country needed lots of money to drive economic and social development.

Ricky upheld the Private Sector driven model, maintaining the PNG-CMB as a Regulator Authority & Marketing Promotion of PNG image promotion. The private sector was given freedom to perform from production to export of coffee and strengthened under the regulatory framework to regulate performance of private sector without fear or favour.

Ricky acknowledges the contribution of his former expatriate Boss – Mr Barry Beil and other prominent people in the early days of his career who prepared him well to take carriage of the coffee industry.

He said Barry Beil played a bridging role between expatriate driven to PNG National driven coffee industry, training the Nationals to take over from production to marketing and exporting.

He has travelled the five continents of the world, putting the image of PNG coffee on the world map and has been the most hired and fired state CEO.

During his time as the CEO of the then PNG-CMB, he has brought about the following legislative changes:

Coffee Dealing (Control) Act 1974, introduced Reserved Business Activities list.
Coffee Industry Act, 1976 saw the conversion of PNG Coffee Marketing Board to PNG Coffee Industry Board.
Took over Coffee Research & Development functions from the National Government and established Coffee Research Institute (CRI) in 1984 and Coffee Development Agency (CDA) in 1985.

Mitio said success and/or failures should not be measured in production levels as other forces are at play. It is how you strategize to bring changes for the better.

He dedicates his autobiography to his late parents who devotedly raised him and his siblings in the outback Okapa in the early 1950s, his benevolent father, Simeon Ipul from Gabmazung village, Markham, his maternal uncle Komana Kromeso, his godfather Ariga’o Arekaso, midwife who helped delivered him and mama Yogiso Aro’ara Paul for time spent in babysitting him during his critical early stages of life.

His autobiography book “Ovu ga’ Hoe” is now exclusively available in PNG through CHM, including the duty-free shop at the Port Moresby International Airport. It is also available to the rural sector through Farmset stores throughout the country and selling at K150.

PIONEER NATIVE COFFEE ADMINISTRATOR LAUNCHES A BOOK ON HIS LIFE JOURNEY AND THE COFFEE INDUSTRY IN PNG

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